Vision
To be a leading theological school where students become more deeply rooted in their own religious or spiritual traditions while engaging the beliefs and practices of people of other traditions.
Mission
Rooted in the ecumenical heritage of the United Church of Canada, shaped by its context in Victoria University and in relationship with Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and other religious communities, Emmanuel College equips leaders and scholars for rigorous theological inquiry and for inclusive practices of justice and care, contextual analysis, creative activity and interfaith engagement.
Values
Emmanuel College values a collegial environment for:
- inclusive and respectful dialogue
- intellectual curiosity
- academic excellence
- public engagement
- artistic, musical, and liturgical creativity
- innovation in interfaith learning
- the search for justice and right relations
Dignity, Equity, Accountability, and Responsibility (DEAR)
Preamble
We believe in the notions of difference and equity and strive to implement them in the many aspects of our institutional and community life. Emmanuel College has been blessed with the gifts and teachings of its Christian foundation. However, due to its colonial history, it has not always lived up to the principles of equity and respect. Inspired by Eurocentric expressions of Christianity, this legacy contributed to establishing systemic barriers that prevented minoritized/racialized communities from contributing to the church, as well as to the erasure and belittlement of Indigenous beliefs, forms of knowledge and religious traditions.
As we collectively move forward, this declaration, which is intended to inform decision-making processes at Emmanuel College, is also a living testament that acknowledges that efforts are underway to address our limitations. We must continually seek new ways to listen to voices that have not previously been heard in the life of Emmanuel College.
Read the full Emmanuel College DEAR Declaration
The Process of How “DEAR” Came Into Being
Strategic Plan
Emmanuel College seeks to provide a theological education critically informed by the heritage and tradition of faith. Through theological and ethical reflection, historical awareness, critical study of sacred texts and attention to matters of both practical and contextual experience in congregations and other settings, the College provides important resources for the education of leadership for the church and other public settings and for the provision of spiritual care. Given its significant and longstanding relationship with the United Church, Emmanuel educates between one-quarter and one-third of the church’s ministers. The United Church funds a portion of Emmanuel's annual budget (currently around 3%). For more than nine decades, individuals and congregations in the United Church have provided scholarships, bursaries, and endowments supporting the work of the College.
In addition, since its founding, Emmanuel College has been a constituent school within Victoria University and has maintained a close relationship with the University of Toronto. This university context has enhanced the quality of theological education at Emmanuel. Further, in 1944, Emmanuel associated with a few other theological colleges and by 1970, this federation had emerged as the Toronto School of Theology (TST). This federation places all of Emmanuel’s activities firmly in an ecumenical context. In 2010, Emmanuel launched its new Canadian Certificate of Muslim Studies program, which became the Muslim focus in the Master of Psychospiritual Studies (formerly Master of Pastoral Studies) program. In 2015, Emmanuel introduced the Diploma in Buddhist Mindfulness and Mental Health and then the Buddhist focus in the Master of Psychospiritual Studies program. Both initiatives provide a new and important multifaith dimension to theological education in Toronto.
These relationships, both the historical and the more contemporary, provide the backdrop for this strategic plan. The work they have enriched will continue. Alongside these historic commitments, the fulfillment of these strategic objectives will benefit church, university, social justice agencies, and other publics, and improve the quality of theological education offered at Emmanuel College.
Major Strategic Directions
- Enhance academic excellence
- Deepen connections to Emmanuel’s contexts and the pluralism they represent
- Recruit and educate leaders, attuned to the changing context of spiritual and religious leadership in Canada
- Strengthen financial and ecological sustainability
- Monitor the effectiveness of governance and the planning process in relation to the mission
One-Year and Five-Year Goals
- See the attached rubrics listing major action items for each of the strategic directions
Emmanuel College Strategic Plan Rubrics
Approved by EC Council: April 23, 2024
Rubric 1
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1. Enhance academic excellence |
Where We Are Now? |
Where Do We Want To Be After One Year? |
Where Do We Want To Be After Five Years? |
Who Is Responsible? |
|
Use the ATS self-study process to advance the mission of the college |
Successfully respond to Student Services matters to ATS (April, 2024) |
Empower all faculty to equip and engage BD program curriculum assessment |
Write a report to ATS on the office of the Principal (Feb 2026). Start working on ATS self study (2031) |
Principal Vice-Principal The Office of the Principal Faculty
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Cultivate the research and teaching capacities of faculty and students |
Jane and Geoffrey Martin Chair in Practical Theology in place
Engage faculty Trauma- Informed Pedagogy (TIP) and support graduate students in their teaching and research through Wabash Large Grant |
Faculty search for NT
Complete a faculty continuing status review
Foster faculty and graduate students’ grant writing
Continue to implement Trauma Informed Pedagogy in teaching |
Full faculty complement to staff and recruit basic and graduate programs
Explore and integrate Art in teaching
Seek collaborative research opportunities with Vic C, and U of T faculty members |
Principal The Office of the Principal Faculty Faculty Executive Faculty search and review committees |
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Monitor existing and evolving program developments and institutional capacities, including implications of the changing religious landscape |
Implement the Hybrid MDiv (data collecting needed)
Explore other programs working with TST (e. g., MTS foci, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, inter- religious, and TSA)
Establish anniversary committees in partnership with CRIC |
Continue to grow Hybrid MDiv and MTS foci (Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Inter-religious)
MPS nomenclature change to Master of Psychospiritual Studies
|
Review Hybrid MDiv (2026-2027)
Maintain increased enrollments in all BD and GD programs
Monitor MPS enrollment and staffing
Host EM centennial events (2027-2028) |
Principal Faculty Vice-Principal BD Directors Director of CRIC and Events and Media Coordinator Anniversary Committee |
Rubric 2
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2. Deepen connections to Emmanuel’s contexts and the pluralism they represent |
Where We Are Now? |
Where Do We Want To Be After the First Year? |
Where Do We Want To Be After Five Years? |
Who Is Responsible? |
|
Broaden ways that courses, continuing education, and community life can incorporate Indigenous education as well as decolonial, postcolonial, intercultural and ecological theories and practices |
Continue to do the College wide DEAR discussion
Increase Indigenous presence (through the garden project, see #4 below) and Establish relationships with other Indigenous theological schools
Build up Black membership and Asian descent members in partnership with CANAAT and Asian Center at Knox |
Implement a Buddhist continuing education program working with the BAC
Seek to expand decoloniality and power elective courses with interreligious awareness
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Engage the Garden as a learning site for various Indigenous and ecological practices and a place of building relationship with Indigenous Communities
Continue to implement curricular and co-curricular developments to educate our diverse ethno-racial and cultural student body (Indigenous, Racialized, Euro Canadians, & International)
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Principal Vice-Principal Program Directors Faculty Indigenous Initiative Committee CRIC ECAA |
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Foster the interreligious, intercultural, and inter- disciplinary learning of Emmanuel students and explore the interreligious dimensions of theological education (including spirituality, pedagogy, practices, and student life) |
Share and collect critical Incidents due to religious diversity in the classrooms through engaging trauma informed pedagogy
Cultivate inter- religious encounters through food sharing and other cultural learning opportunities |
Train three more faculty who can do IDI individual debriefs for the BD Cohort course and provide leadership for IDI implementation across the curriculum
IDI process for all GD students as a tool for self reflection
Implementation of IDI at the beginning and ending of all BD programs will provide comparative data for BC program assessment to assess cultural competence |
Conduct a curricular assessment on intercultural competency on BD program through IDI lens (2027-28)
Implement Interprofessional Education (Centre for Advancing Collaborative Health Care and Education, CACHE) for MPS students in collaboration with Knox |
Principal Vice Principal BD Program Directors Faculty
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Foster the local, national, and international connections that contribute to our mission, including scholarships for international students |
Principal’s official visit to various schools in Korea and Asia
Various Alumni gatherings for recruitment and scholarships |
Work with U of T (faculty of music, New College, DSR)
Host Buddhist Spiritual Care Educators in North America (BSCENA) conference
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Host Musical Concerts (both in Korea and Canada) for Master of Sacred Music’ 20th Anniversary (2028)
Establish more scholarships for minoritized students through various connections |
Principal’s Office Faculty ECAA Admissions Counselor and Recruitment Coordinator Buddhist Advisory Com |
Rubric 3
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3. Recruit and educate leaders attuned to the changing mission and context of spiritual and religious leadership in Canada |
Where We Are Now? |
Where Do We Want To Be After the First Year? |
Where Do We Want To Be After Five Years? |
Who Is Responsible? |
|
Cooperate with the United Church and Buddhist and Muslim communities in recruiting students and develop a communications strategy that effectively promotes Emmanuel to various constituencies |
Pilot “Mentoring” program between current students and the recent grads through AAA
Update alumni database and feature Alumni in EC Connects for promotion and recruitment working with Vic U Communications
Increase enrollments by working cooperatively with UCC, Buddhist Muslim Advisory Committees
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Continue “Mentoring” program
Continue to secure “sponsored lunches” by reaching out to various communities
Continue to encourage faculty on the Road
Continue to feature success stories of Alumni in EC Connects working with Vic U Communications
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Secure a grant and collaborate to work with all UCC schools
Ample support of religious leadership and spiritual care in the Canadian context
Working with AAA, Vic Event team, & UCC Foundations host EM centennial year events (2027-2028)
Establish evidence-based recruitment management plans through regular updates of alumni/ae and surveys |
Principal’s Office Faculty Advisory Committee Admissions Counselor and Recruitment Coordinator Vic Communications Program Directors AAA and ECAA |
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Contribute theologically to the United Church of Canada and other communities of faith |
Strategize to recruit UCC members on the Vic U Board
Plan UCC centennial events in collaboration with various UCC members |
Recognize and expand our faculty’s contributions (e. g., serving UCC committees on, Antisemitism, Antiracism, Disability, Mission, and IDI) to Indigenous, Islamophobia, and Queer issues, to name a few
|
EC faculty contributing to the Strategic priority for UCC and Canadian faith communities
EC faculty contributing to various Muslim and Buddhist groups and organizations |
Faculty ECAA Advisory Committee CRIC |
Rubric 4
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4. Strengthen financial and Ecological sustainability |
Where We Are Now? |
Where Do We Want To Be After the First Year? |
Where Do We Want To Be After Five Years? |
Who Is Responsible? |
|
Work with Alumni Affairs & Advancement (AAA) to enhance connections with our constituencies, particularly to increase giving to the Annual Fund among our alumni/ae |
Diversify ECAA membership Working effectively with the advancement team with respect to growing Emmanuel’s Annual Fund and joining Vic Capital Campaign, in working with U of T “Defy Gravity” Campaign |
Continue to build up lists of alumni (wider pool for nominations for awards, recognitions and donations) Host MPS and UCC Anniversary events Working with AAA with respect to establishing new endowed scholarships |
Well-coordinated fundraising activities that maximize the expertise of the advancement team to solicit gifts from alums and fuller participation of all supporters of programs at Emmanuel College
Secure a few more endowed scholarships (e. g., Muslim, Korean, MsMus, Queer) |
Vic President’s Office EM Principal’s Office ECAA AAA |
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Fundraising to develop new Major Gift resources in areas compatible with this strategic plan |
Making a progress in priority areas, including the Muslim and Buddhist MPS endowed professorships, as well as scholarships for domestic, international, and other minoritized students |
Continue to make a progress in endowed professorships, as well as scholarships for domestic, international, and other minoritized students |
Priority faculty positions endowed, bringing general relief to the operating budget
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Vic President’s Office EM Principal’s Office AAA
|
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Develop an enhanced strategy for Legacy Giving |
Working to secure legacy gifts
Regularly scheduled workshops on planned giving and a media campaign to support this work
Proactive rather than reactive focus |
Continue to work to secure legacy gifts spearheaded by AAA
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A strong and growing roster of legacy gifts to provide endowment support in coming years |
Vic President’s Office EM Principal’s Office AAA |
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Create an Indigenous Healing Garden
Foster Environmental sustainability into our regular academic planning and operation
Enhance accessibility |
Apply for various grants and successfully secure a few
Get the permit to start Construction Do an Ecological audit (join the Blue com, ask about the compost) Send ECSS member to join Vic U sustainability committee |
Explore creativity by tapping into creation for religious and spiritual gatherings
Use the Indigenous Healing Garden as an ecological learning site
Work closely with Vic U sustainability committee to reduce waste and make the place greener and add the second accessible entrance |
Continue to use accessible, environmental and ecological lens in all academic programming and improve building facilities
Work with Vic U to have long term plan to maintain the Garden |
The Offices of Vic President, EM Principal, Bursar’s infra structure and sustainability Faculty AAA Indigenous Advisory Circle |
Rubric 5
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5. Monitor effectiveness of governance and the planning process in relation to the mission |
Where We Are Now? |
Where Do We Want To Be After the First Year? |
Where Do We Want To Be After Five Years? |
Who Is Responsible? |
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Continue to monitor and improve the internal administration of Emmanuel College for the purpose of accomplishing the mission of the institution |
Monitor VP roles Monitor Principal’s roles Monitor the effectiveness of the staff in the Principal’s Office
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Continue to monitor Vice Principal and Principal’s roles by working closely and collaboratively
Create a CRM (customer relations management system) to help faculty’s student advising, their administrative work, and the Office of the Principal |
Successfully respond to and Implement ATS self-study recommendations re: the sustainability of the Principal’s role (Feb 2026)
Efficient, equitable, and effective functioning of the administrative work of the College
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Faculty Executive Principal’s Office Vice-Principal All Program Directors Faculty |
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Foster effective relationships with other units within Victoria University |
Implement MPS students CPE practicum, offering counselling through Vic Dean of Students office and the support of SCLPM that serve both EC and VC students and create greater synergy with Victoria U. offices
Exploring other possibilities for collaboration (e. g., our faculty teaching at VC and contributing to VC academic events) |
Continue to offer Wellness Counsellor program
Participate in the Centre for Creativity and EDIA work
Working with ECUT that can bring VUSAC and ECSS together.
Continue to explore EC and VC faculty teaching and research collaboration |
Smooth and collaborative event planning among Vic and EM staff (e. g., convocation/installation)
Establish closer relationship between VC students and alumni and EC students and alumni
Mutually supportive relationships between University offices and EC administrators, faculty, staff, and student society |
Vic President’s Office EC and VC Principals and Staff Vice Principal Dean of Students Spiritual and Community Life Prog Coordinator (SCLPC) ECSS EDIA Steering Com Centre for Creativity Committee |
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Support equitable and ecumenical cross-school cooperation through the Toronto School of Theology |
Supporting the redevelopment of professional doctorate programs at TST and Hybrid MTS, MTS in TSA.
Supporting the plan of offering graduate cohort courses |
Continuing to work closely with TST developing online MTS and MPS programs
Continue to collaborate offering graduate courses and admission process |
A strong culture of ecumenism at the TST with robust participation from faculty of all schools in its supervision, programs and governance |
Principal’s Office VP, GD, Faculty TST Director TST Board, SEC, Academic Council, Admission officers |